The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 09, 2025
Filed:
May. 31, 2023
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (US);
Xin Chen, San Antonio, TX (US);
Adam C. Cobb, San Antonio, TX (US);
Douglas R. Earnest, San Antonio, TX (US);
Keith A. Bartels, San Antonio, TX (US);
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (US);
Abstract
A method of in situ measurement of an acoustoelastic constant (L) of a railway rail, using an ultrasonic wedge sensor to measure a stress-free (unloaded) time-of-flight (t) in the vertical direction of the rail. Next, a vertical load of known load value is applied to the rail. While the vertical load is applied, the ultrasonic wedge sensor is used to measure a stressed time-of-flight value. The difference between the stress-free and the stressed time-of-flight is calculated to obtain a time-of-flight difference value (Δt). Based on the load value, the stress-free time-of-flight value, and the time-of-flight difference value, the acoustoelastic constant, L, may be calculated. The wedge sensor may be further used to measure the (stressed) horizontal time of flight, and a time-of-flight difference value in the horizontal direction may be used to measure longitudinal stress.